Analysis: New air surcharge calculations worry shippers

Friday, August 09, 2013

When Emirates SkyCargo announced this week it was changing the way cargo surcharges are calculated — moving from a system that charges for actual weight to the new plan of applying chargable weight to the calculation — on Sept. 1, it joined a growing list of airlines who are also experimenting with new rates. Lufthansa announced in July that it is changing its system, and Korean Airlines has also switched its surcharge for all flights except those routing to Israel and Turkey. These new policies have raised the ire of shippers represented by the European shippers council. These changes, they say, could cost them 10 percent to 20 percent more when shipping the same goods. With three carriers adapting to this new system, ...